Carlos Yulo believes the Philippines can be a regular contender in men’s artistic gymnastics in the Olympics in the near future.
The 26-year-old Yulo said even without him and his younger brother Eldrew, the country has the potential to be a gymnastics powerhouse.
“I believe that, not just because he is my brother, but as Filipinos, we are capable. We just need to try,” Yulo said.
“We need to persevere. We just need to open their eyes to this kind of sport.”
Philippine Sports Commission chairman Patrick “Pato” Gregorio said he expects a new wave of gymnasts following the footsteps of Yulo, who is currently the most successful Filipino Olympian with two gold medals in the Paris Summer Games.
“I know this because the president of World Gymnastics told me 10 years ago that gymnastics in the Philippines was at zero. Now, it’s one of the top countries in the world,” Gregorio said.
The PSC and Gymnastics Association of the Philippines (GAP) don’t need to look elsewhere for its next gymnastics star.
The Palarong Pambansa and Batang Pinoy were Yulo’s stomping grounds before he was taken under the wing of Japanese mentor Munehiro Kugimiya.
The sport will debut in the National Collegiate Athletic Association as a demo sport in Season 101, expanding the talent pool for GAP in the future.